Lincoln University, the historically Black educational institution in Pennsylvania, has announced a field of five finalists for the position of president of the university. All five candidates will visit campus by April 19 for interviews and public forums. Richard Green has been serving as interim president. The university has not had a permanent president since 2014 when then president Robert R. Jennings resigned.

The five finalists are:

Brenda Allen is provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. She is the former associate provost for institutional diversity at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Earlier, she taught at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. A graduate of Lincoln University, Dr. Allen holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Clarence Armbrister is president of Girard College, a preparatory school in Philadelphia. He is the former executive vice president at Temple University in Philadelphia and former senior vice president at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He served as chief of staff to Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter. Armbrister is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan Law School

Kimberly Dumpson is executive vice president and chief of staff at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a historically Black educational institution in Princess Anne. She has been on the university’s staff since 2005. Dumpson is a graduate of Towson State University in Maryland and the College of Law at Ohio Northern University.

Virginia Hardy is vice chancellor for student affairs at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Dr. Hardy has been on the staff of the university since 1993. Dr. Hardy is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds a master’s degree from East Carolina University and a doctorate in counselor education from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Patricia Ramsey is provost and vice chancellor for student affairs at Lincoln University. Earlier, she was a professor, provost, and vice president of academic affairs at historically Black Bowie State University in Maryland. Professor Ramsey is a graduate of Norfolk State University in Virginia, where she majored in biology education. She holds a master’s degree in botany from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree in biology from Harvard University. Dr. Ramsey earned a Ph.D. in biology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

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Professional sports teams have discontinued playing Kate Smith’s version of “God Bless America” at games due to her recording of songs in the 1930s that contained racist lyrics. Which statement best reflects your view?

I agree that Smith’s version of “God Bless America” should not be played.

Smith’s recordings with racist lyrics should be considered in context of the times.

Abraham Lincoln made racist comments, should we ban the reciting of the Gettysburg Address?